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Chapter 58: Go Beyond Karma

But remember one thing: your mind can create problems which are tricks - tricks to postpone, to postpone decision. If the mind is not settled, you don’t feel guilty. You feel, “What can I do? Unless something is absolute, clear-cut, transparent, what can I do?” Your mind can create clouds around you, and your mind will not allow you to be transparent ever - unless you decide. With decision clouds disappear. Mind is very diplomatic, mind is political, and it goes on playing politics on you. It is very tricky, cunning.

I have heard, once Mulla Nasruddin came to visit his son and daughter-in-law. He had come for three days, but then he stayed for one week. Then the one week passed, and he stayed for one month. Then the young couple started worrying - how to get rid of the old man? So they discussed how to get rid of him, and they hit upon a plan.

The husband said, “Tonight you prepare soup, and I will say that there is too much salt in it, it cannot be eaten, it is impossible to eat. And you have to say that there is not enough salt in it. We will argue and we will start quarreling, and then I will ask my father what his opinion is, what he says. If he agrees with me, then you get mad and tell him to go away. If he agrees with you, I will get sore and I will tell him to go away immediately.”

The soup was prepared, and as it was planned, they started quarreling and arguing. And then the climax came. They were just on the verge of hitting each other and Nasruddin was sitting silently watching. And then the son turned towards him and said, “Pa what do you say? Is there too much salt or not?”

So Nasruddin dipped his spoon in the soup, tasted it, meditated a moment upon the taste, and then said, “It suits me perfectly.” He didn’t take any side. The whole plan was futile.

Your mind goes on working in this way. It will never take any side, because the moment you take a side, action has to be there. It will not take any side; it will go on arguing. It will never decide anything; it will be always in the middle. Whatsoever is said will be argued, but it will never become a decision. And you can argue ad infinitum; there is no end to it. Only decision will give you action, and only action will become transformation.

If you are really interested in a deep revolution within you, then decide - and don’t go on postponing. Don’t be too philosophical; that is dangerous. For a seeker it is dangerous. For one who is not seeking really but just passing time, it is good, it is a good game. Philosophy is a good game if you can afford it. But I don’t see that anyone can afford it because it is wasting time.

So be decisive. If you can surrender, then surrender. Then there is no “how” to it. If you cannot, then practice some technique, because only then through technique will you come to a point where surrender will happen.

Osho,In the natural course, after millions of years and lives, one will be enlightened. But we might have already passed through millions of years and lives and yet are not enlightened. Why?